Barclay Oudersluys, who holds a master’s degree in nuclear
engineering, is a veteran runner, having completed ultramarathons
and triathlons over his 23 years of living. But his favorite
movie inspired him to take on a challenge that is orders of
magnitude larger.

The 1994 film “Forrest Gump” featured Tom Hanks playing the
eponymous hero, a man with a low IQ but simple wisdom and good
intentions. Oudersluys seems to be following in the footsteps of
the beloved character, having taken on this monumental test of
endurance for his own charity called Project
Gump, which was set up for his epic endurance test.

"I decided if Forrest Gump could run across the country, I
could do it too," he said in a telephone interview after he
had completed his 61st day of running, reported Reuters.

His route takes him from Santa Monica, California to Marshall
Point Lighthouse in Maine, the same route that Forrest Gump and
an undocumented number of other numbers have taken. Oudersluys
started his journey on May 9, and his aim is to complete his
journey in 100 days.

He says that he is currently on schedule, running between 30 and
33 miles every day – a distance greater than a marathon.

The remarkable journey will take Oudersluys through 14 states and
over 3,150 miles (5,070), and will be completed on August 16, if
everything goes according to plan.

The Birmingham, Michigan native is aiming to raise $10,000 for
the Hall Steps Foundation, a non-profit organization founded in
2009 by distance runners Ryan and Sara Hall to tackle global
poverty.